Contemporary off of a victory in Seattle, the Carolina Hurricanes got here into this recreation on a three-game successful streak on their Western highway journey. They’ve proven to be a assured group getting contributions all through their lineup, and had been seeking to finish their highway journey with a win.
They did simply that — a 4-3 OT victory over the Vancouver Canucks. This was a recreation that the Hurricanes largely managed, regardless of making a gift of a degree within the third interval. They performed their signature swarming, relentless fashion, which overwhelmed a Canucks crew that had gained 4 straight video games coming into the match. After all, there are just a few key issues to speak about from the sport, so let’s get proper into it.
Martin Nečas’ Breakout Continues
By way of eight video games, Martin Nečas is already sitting at 11 factors — 4 targets and 7 assists. It’s no secret that his expertise has at all times been there, the most important hurdle for each he and the crew has been unlocking it on a constant foundation. Up to now this season, he’s proven up in an enormous means in nearly each recreation to this point. And I do know it’s early, it’s nonetheless solely October — however he’s wanting like he’s taken his recreation to a different degree. Simply have a look at the objective he scored within the first interval:
Keep scorching, Marty Necas 🔥 pic.twitter.com/0d8z9TITJI
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 29, 2024
On that objective, he confirmed all of his elite traits — his blazing pace by means of the middle of the ice, the flexibility to manage the move and use his edges to permit him to clear any kind of interference from the defender, in addition to his deceptively fast launch. He’s displaying the identical degree of confidence that made him so efficient within the 2022-23 season, and he’s being rewarded for his dedicated play. He then arrange the extra time winner, utilizing his blazing pace to hold the puck into the zone and drew all three Canucks gamers towards him. He then laid off the puck for Gostisbehere, who discovered Aho sitting by himself in entrance of the web. Cheat code. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour has clearly determined to lean on Nečas extra — he’s taking part in 18 minutes an evening and has constantly been the driving drive of his line. There’s a robust case to be made that he’s been the perfect ahead on this crew by means of the primary eight video games. Let’s hope it continues — everyone knows what he’s able to.
Depth Items Proceed to Contribute
It’s began to appear that on a nightly foundation, the Hurricanes are getting optimistic offensive contributions from guys who aren’t essentially relied on to offer it. On the highway journey to this point, they’ve gotten targets from Eric Robinson and Jack Drury, and final evening Will Service scored his first objective for the membership since signing a six-year deal by means of free company in the summertime. It’s nice to see him lastly get rewarded for his play — he’s introduced a component of heaviness alongside the wall that the Hurricanes have lacked for some time, and has underrated pace and hockey sense. He actually jogs my memory a little bit of Nino Niederreiter, simply with much less offensive talent. However he’s a high quality participant.
One other large contributor has been Jack Roslovic, who was a little bit of a divisive signing over the summer season. It was straightforward to marvel how his taking part in fashion would slot in the Hurricanes’ defensive system, however to this point it’s paid off for each him and the crew. He’s proven over his profession that he could be a stable secondary piece and play efficient hockey form of “third-wheeling” alongside two prime guys, and he’s achieved a pleasant job driving shotgun on the highest line with Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov. With a objective within the second interval to offer the group a two-goal lead, he’s as much as 4 targets in his first eight video games as a Hurricane.
Frederik Andersen Damage Looms Giant
After sustaining an harm on Saturday evening on the highway in Seattle, Spencer Martin was recalled to be the Hurricanes’ backup goaltender momentarily whereas Freddie Andersen awaits analysis. Fortuitously for the crew, the harm doesn’t look like tremendous severe and it was possible that Pyotr Kochetkov would have began this recreation anyway — which he did. The Andersen harm, although, for a number of causes, is a bit regarding — particularly contemplating his prolonged harm historical past.
Associated: Shayne Gostisbehere Bringing New Dynamic to Hurricanes Blue Line
Within the Canucks recreation, Kochetkov’s efficiency was a little bit of a blended bag. He misplaced his ft on his first objective conceded after a wrap-around feed from J.T. Miller left him confused. He was additionally misplaced in his crease for an additional Canucks objective simply minutes later, however an offside within the build-up saved him on that one. After the tough first interval, he settled in tremendous properly within the second, making a few unbelievable saves on Pius Suter — one being a little bit of a double-save on a breakaway try. He then made a sprawling pad save on Jake DeBrusk late within the recreation to take care of the crew’s 3-2 lead. Sadly, he adopted that up with a particularly ill-advised diving poke test that he was not profitable on, and it led to Suter tying the sport with two minutes left. He simply can not be doing that at such a vital juncture of the sport, particularly when the crew had a one-goal lead and had been in management.
However that’s the identify of Kochetkov’s recreation – it’s high-risk. You like it when it really works, and also you hate it when it doesn’t. He made an enormous save simply moments afterward Miller to maintain the sport tied and drive OT. On the evening, he allowed three targets on 28 pictures. He’s proven to be an excellent goaltender when he’s on his recreation, however he’s nonetheless looking for some actual consistency at age 25.
Purple-Scorching Hurricanes Heading Dwelling
Final evening’s win wrapped up a six-game highway journey for the crew, and so they managed to safe 10 of a doable 12 factors on the 10-day tour. Normally, the rule of thumb is to go .500 on these lengthy away journeys, so the Hurricanes deserve a variety of credit score for his or her returns. They performed some nice hockey on the highway and managed to seek out their A-game, in order that they head residence with a ton of confidence and a 6-2-0 report by means of eight video games to begin the season. Subsequent up for the crew is a four-game homestand beginning on Thursday evening towards the Boston Bruins, adopted by divisional matchups with the Washington Capitals, Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins as we roll into November.
